Big bets on “small”

05.08.2016

Ballet dancers are known, the longest theatrical season. It just so happened that, while many of their colleagues in drama theatres, the calm, the period of holidays and idleness, — from the ballet the most intense period of work: in the summer months, the theatres save their most important premieres, not to mention carried out usually at this time large-scale tour, as well as promotions, assignments, layoffs. Turbulence is particularly felt in the ballet world there in the summer. Everything we talk, summing up the season…

Michael Hooks and Anastasia Denisova at the premiere of the ballet “Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge”. Photo: Damir Yusupov / Bolshoi theatre

New faces are Great

Season, at least for the Bolshoi theatre, is still ongoing. Only moved it along on tour, which is dubbed the “diamond” in London’s Covent garden. the Tone of the main British Newspapers on the tour of the Bolshoi the most enthusiastic: “Dance performed by artists of the Bolshoi was awesome from beginning to end,” writes about “Swan lake” by the London times. “Amazing performances followed one another,” says the Telegraph. This is despite the fact that a distinctive feature of these tours is a destination on the main party of newcomers, many of which the performance on the stage of Covent garden was the debut. In addition to debuted in London Mikhail Kryuchkov, Yulia Stepanova, Margarita Shriner, Anastasia Denisova before Moscow debut was in David Motta Soares, Vladislav Kozlov, Artur Mkrtchyan, Bruny Gaglianone Cantanhede and some other artists, still standing in the ballet hierarchy or position in the corps de ballet or luminaries (Michael Hook) in the rare case of soloists (Yulia Stepanova).

The rate of fresh forces, the desire to pour into the company of “young blood”, to give it a significant boost — a feature of policy of the new head of the Bolshoi ballet of Maharlika Vasieva, replaced in mid-March, Sergei Filin. It is believed that the predecessor has not paid to the problem of rotation ballet frames due attention. And that is what is happening right now in the rotation and has main feature of the past season for one of the leading ballet companies in the world and the key to its prosperity in the future.

Some entries seemed interesting, some premature. Call and most, in our opinion, gifted: of the girls is undoubtedly Yulia Stepanova, and young Michael Hooks… Hooks In London successfully performed in the second part the party of the metaphysical double of Prince Siegfried — Evil Genius (thus interpreted this character in the version of “Swan lake” ballet in Grigorovich). But the ability to play every muscle in the body, resonate with the music, conveying all the nuances of plastic thought, distinguished the artist in the ballet of Hans van Manen’s “Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge”, the first premiere of the Bolshoi theater this season. Coincidentally, it took place the same day, when Vaziev has started execution of the duties of the ballet Director. Yulia Stepanova, who conquered London audiences as Odette-Odile from “Swan lake”, his dance and extended lines was made to Shine with new faces and even “Diamonds” is Balanchine.

If we talk about the premieres of the Bolshoi theatre, this season had two of them, not counting the updated “don Quixote” in the version by Alexei Fadeyechev, not coming down from the stage of the Bolshoi theatre for 17 years (the play was re-carved and designed, and, in my opinion, not very successfully). Apart from the already mentioned Dutch evening of choreography, which apart from ballet, van Manen was struck by its ingenuity and the ballet “a Very short time together,” Paul Laputa and Sol Leon, at the end of the season the Bolshoi theatre on the New stage was presented and the kind of laboratory work “Undine” Vyacheslav Samodurov to music by Hans Werner Henze. Thing crisis, besides abstract, which created the main difficulty is because the music Henze was composed in the details developed in cooperation with the initial Director of this ballet by the English choreographer Frederick Ashton scenario. But the lexical range of the choreographer was very limited, which also contributed to the success of the premiere.

In principle, experiments have been the main theatre of the country in the last season was generous, followed by the musical theater of Stanislavsky and the unplanned, showing the “youth program of the ballet” called “Person.” This program, which is a necessary condition for the development of novice choreographers, became, in fact, the revival had long been going on in the theatre workshops put into practice under Alexei Ratmansky. The artistic Director has appointed retired from the leadership of the ballet Sergei Filin… And let the nine “beginners” choreographers (although, actually, beginners in a new choreographic workshop this time as if it was not, all in varying degrees, managed to light up) was made in a hurry and seemed uninviting — the beginning.

“Stas” faithful old rate

In the Musical theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko to the end of the season also had a change of heart. After the resignation of Ara Karapetyan, the new CEO was Anton Getman, who previously held the post of Deputy General Director of the Bolshoi theatre Vladimir Urin. And the theatre itself this year, first opened its doors for the choreographic trial and quest and showed created on the initiative of Andrei Uvarov, the project “intersection”. And ahead in this regard. The results of the work of four choreographers, too, leave much to be desired, however, some findings (“Amalgam” Emile Chamfer, “Tea or coffee?” Andrew Kaidanovsky) still was charged…

In a more global way, the musical theater remains faithful to its policy of consistent development of the Golden Fund of world ballet classics of the twentieth century. Last season, as in previous games, it was about English classics, in particular this choreographer, sir Frederick Ashton, the evening of choreography which took place in early November. It included three ballets: besides “Margarita and Armand”, which is included in the repertoire poster of “Stasik” since 2009 and the premiere is not, it was a one-act ballets “Rhapsody” and “Waltz”, although somewhat old-fashioned (so, however, now look a the works of Ashton), but charming with his old-fashioned, and most importantly — very useful and the artistic Director Igor Zelensky for this company is clearly “in mind”.

Another premiere of the season — moved to “Stas” ballet “Anna Karenina”, staged by the artistic Director of the Zurich ballet, Christian Spocom — the usual middle Eastern product that meets all quality standards. Discoveries he encountered.

But the problems of the Musical theater are somewhat different plane… in Spite of the high level and the dynamics that gave this company its artistic Director Igor Zelensky, of theatre each season go dancers. Last year, “Stas” left about half a dozen people in the next season suggest that the theatre will miss another ten artists. Among them are premieres: Anna Ol and Semyon Velichko went to the national ballet of the Netherlands at the end of last season, now the theatre leaving other necessary performers — Ksenia Ryzhkova and Dmitry Sobolevsky. Most interesting is that invited Ryzhkov and Sobolev together with other artists on a new job Zelensky himself, which from this season is also head of the ballet in Munich. So, sitting on two chairs, he to replenish high-quality artists one trusted him staff bare the other (“Stas”, a troupe which in the ballet world listed much higher in Munich).

It would seem, nothing wrong with that. The search for the best shares and related migration problems, the standard for any ballet company. But too many leave. Yes, and Igor A. this is the style of work of similar difficulties he had in Novosibirsk, a troupe which he directed in parallel with the “Stasik”. They arose and in Munich here along with other artists of the troupe along with her husband Marlon Dino suddenly left, even the first ballerina of the world Lucia Lacara.

In addition, and in the “Stas” proceedings in connection with the employment of the artistic Director went not the best way. So, close the current season of La bayadère was entrusted to the performers (though it was a debut), who was unable to secure the appropriate performance level. Before such mistakes Zelensky is not allowed.

International ballet festival, held on the stage of the Kremlin Palace for the fourth time this year was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the troupe “the Kremlin ballet”. First, we note the high level were demonstrated by “anniversaries”. At the gala concert that opened the IV international ballet festival in the Kremlin and composed of fragments of performances of the vast repertoire of the Kremlin team (and for 25 years at this company was created 25 successful performances), soloists of the Kremlin looked no worse than their European colleagues.

Added to his poster of “the Kremlin ballet” this season and the next gem of the classical repertoire of the XIX century. The premiere of “La Bayadere”, the former artistic Director of the “Kremlin ballet of Andris Liepa was scheduled last season, during his short reign the ballet… But plans were carried out only when the troupe left, and to its rightful place back again the founder of the Kremlin team Andrei Petrov. Adding to Billboard in La bayadère, the theatre not only went on about the “cash” and lovers of the classics with a fondness for the ballet. Such a move by the leadership, traditionally relying on the classical component of the repertoire is urgent and strategically important for the development of the ballet troupe. The result, presented by the troupe “the Kremlin ballet”, was not long in coming: trained and assembled the corps de ballet, and brilliant dances of soloists, colorful decorations in Indian style, luxury and color not inferior to the scenery of the Bolshoi theatre.

The Mikhailovsky theatre has tested new technology

The Mikhailovsky theatre, steadily gaining points under the leadership of their newly-minted artistic Director, Vladimir Kekhman (which in the future season, unfortunately, also problems can occur — the court declared bankruptcy), this season I decided to try out the new technology. For registration of ballet classics they are, frankly, not too approached, but to create new plays proved to be indispensable.

He opened his 183rd of the season the theatre is one of the most ancient of extant ballets Le Corsaire revised by Mikhail Messerer, based on the version of Konstantin Sergeev. Performances and revisions of classical ballets have Messerer are always of great culture and respect for the classical heritage, though not alien and some editorial changes.

With regard to the design of the play, which “developed” the art Director of theatre Vyacheslav Okunev, the change of scenery made in accordance with the latest fashion video projection went to the old ballet benefit, but has freed space for dancing. However, reserved for the final 3D special effect — sailing on a background of moving clouds and swaying under the like a “real” waves, the ship became a good and economical replacement for the “old” storm and shipwreck.

The picture water of an Apocalypse, built with the help of trendy video projections and 3D effects were impressive and on the other the premiere of this season — the performance “I Love you, Peter’s creation…” (now renamed “the Bronze idol”) created on motives of the novel of A. S. Pushkin “the bronze horseman”. Giant devouring the city waves, sagging with its domes and crosses Isaac, and half sticking out of the water, the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral — this apocalyptic picture of the flooding and sinking of the St. Petersburg paint the famous American choreographer Lar Ljubovic and artist George Tsypin in his new play.

Boris Eifman is waiting for his Palace

Choreographer Boris Eifman, almost single-handedly creating in Russia are in demand worldwide contemporary ballet repertoire, this season took a time-out of new ballets was not composed. All his thoughts now occupied by the Palace of dance and Children’s dance theatre, the construction of which here-here should begin.

However, the famous choreographer has thoroughly altered the old, most iconic performances — “Tchaikovsky” and “Red Giselle”. Recently acquired a new choreography, but not much has changed, staying the perfect and complete work, one of the best in the creative genius of choreographer. About changes in another masterpiece Eifman — ballet “Tchaikovsky” — Muscovites will be able to judge on their own… Under the new name “Tchaikovsky. PRO et CONTRA Maestro will show this work in Moscow on the New stage of the Bolshoi theater in early October.